Satellite images show thick smoke over Russia's oil refinery after drone attack
llustrative photo: Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery on fire following a drone attack (Russian media)
At the Samara oil refinery in Russia, a large-scale fire continues following a drone attack, with thick smoke filling the facility's grounds, according to the Schemes Telegram channel, which published Planet Labs satellite images taken on October 30.
The dense blanket of black smoke is preventing specialists from determining the exact locations and extent of the damage at the site.
Reports of the strike on the refinery first appeared on the Ukrainian monitoring channels Exilenova+ and Supernova+. The fire at the facility was later confirmed by the OSINT agency Astra.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the incident so far.
Meanwhile, Fire Point said that Ukraine’s Defense Forces carried out the strike on the Russian facility using its drones.
Photo: Planet Labs satellite images taken on October 30
Photo: Planet Labs satellite images taken on October 30
The refinery in the Samara region is part of Rosneft’s network of facilities and is one of the key refineries in the Volga region. It has an annual oil processing capacity of approximately 8.8 million tonnes.
The facility produces up to 30 types of petroleum products, including jet fuel used for military purposes.
On October 30, a fire broke out at the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery in the Samara region following a drone attack. The refinery produces jet fuel for Russian military aircraft.
In addition, drones launched a large-scale attack on Moscow on the evening of October 28 and overnight into October 29. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that Russian air defenses were operating.
